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Tuesday, August 01, 2006

Blatantly "borrowed" from norbizness is this image of Bush and his friends signing the legislation that could make a grandmother a criminal, also known as the Child Protection Custody Act.

It's as if they all believe they are signing a personal pact with God that ensures that none of their own daughters or granddaughters will ever have premarital sex, get knocked up and try to sneak off and have a secret abortion.

Their collective lack of understanding or recognition that some families are so fundamentally screwed up that young women-- even those under 18-- can't and shouldn't turn to their legal parents just blows my mind. I have a good friend who was abused by both her parents and ended up pregnant at 16. Yes, horror of horrors, she was carrying her half-sibling. Do you think she should have to their permission to get an abortion?

These aren't just made up myths, the very people who are the most vulernable are going to be the most hurt by this legislation. Without providing any way for them to go around their parents, to turn to another trusted adult such as a grandparent or aunt, especially if they live in state where abortion has been essentially banned so they have to travel across state lines to get to a Planned Parenthood, is just plain cold and disgustingly callous.

Some teenage girls don't turn to their parents when they are "in trouble" because they're afraid that they'll get grounded, lectures, etc.-- but for others it's far more dire than that. Failing to recognize the harsh reality that all families are not safe havens for their children shows how little they care about the very lives they claim to want to protect.